YT 10 Joshua part 5 chapter 3:2-11

The Book of Joshua

Joshua 3:2-11

Recapping:

In a word or two or three ~ “Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts”… (Isaiah 6:3).
“… Holy, Holy, Holy LORD GOD Almighty, which was and is, and is to come”
(Revelation 4:8).

With the Ark of the Covenant in the midst of the camp of Israel the holiness of the
LORD God ~ the otherness of God in relation to His creation becomes the principal
point.

Where once the glory cloud had lead the nation in their journeyings, now as they
prepare to go over the Jordan to conquer the land the LORD will give them, it is under
the auspice of the Divine leading of the Ark.

We need to remember that although the Tabernacle with its articles of furniture
were “man-made”, the Ark, with its covering was not an idol ~ a god for the purpose of
worship ~ like the other nations to be displayed as something common.

The Ark with its covering was the tangible but not visible representation of the
presence of God. The Living and True God ~ spirit being of Deity ~ He who was and is,
and is to come. The Righteous, Eternal God is in the midst of Israel!

The idols of the heathen were silver and gold, the works of men’s hands. “They
have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; they have ears, but
they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. They that make them are like
unto them…” ~ dead! (Psalm 135:16-18a).

The LORD had filled the hearts of all that were wise-hearted with His wisdom,
that they make all that the LORD commanded Moses (Exodus 31:3,6). It was the
LORD’s wisdom, given to men, how to design the Ark. Therefore, the Ark was not an
idol to worship made like corruptible man, birds, four-footed beasts and creeping things
(Romans 1:23).

Three days after the camp had left Shittim and came to Jordan the officers went
through the host with the instructions on following after the Ark and Joshua said unto
the people, “sanctify yourselves for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”

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The Sons of Israel

Joshua 3:2-5:

“And it came to pass after three days, that the officers went through the host; and
they commanded the people, saying, when ye see the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD
your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place,
and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand
cubits by measure: come not near unto it that ye may know the way by which ye must
go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore. And Joshua said unto the people,
Sanctify yourselves: for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”

The sons of Israel are Jehovah’s people and they are getting ready to make a
departure of the former things ~ the enmity of their own thinking with its result of
lawlessness.

The temptation would be to think well... considering what we know, “terror has
fallen upon the inhabitants of the land and that the inhabitants faint because of us.” Let’s
get a move on and conquer!

We know we haven’t gone to Jericho before, but we know that is where we are
going. We know what we are doing! We got it! It is not a question of what they know or
don’t know, but whose they are.

However, from the pictorial within the text one can see that Israel is totally
dependent ~ totally reliant upon the “leading” of the Ark ~ hence “when you see the Ark
of the Covenant of the LORD your God… come not near unto it…” “That you may know”
“for you have not passed this way heretofore.” Israel cannot rely on what they “think”
they know. Israel must rely upon the leading of the Ark.

The point being ~ there is a way to conquer. Conquering requires following the
leading and sanctification ~ following the leading of Holiness and sanctification unto
holiness. Holiness is key to their lives.

Holiness and sanctification are subjects that are little understood in Christianity
today. What is holiness? What is sanctification? Why is sanctification necessary?

How does one sanctify himself? Isn’t holiness and sanctification really the same
thing? At the heart of all these questions is the same issue ~ separation.

The design of the lesson is with the purposeful intention of hopefully provoking us
to consider this little discussed or thought upon subject of separation. And while the
issue of holiness and sanctification is separation, the topic of both, is God.

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In man’s attempt to make God ~ our “friend”, we have made Him common and
have missed the point that while God is love, He is also holy. He is separate from any
other thing. God is other ~ there is none or anything like Him.

Holiness: The fundamental idea of holiness is separation. Holiness is speaking of

God, for God is holy.

Sanctification: Sanctification is about God. Sanctification is for the purpose of holiness

and for the glory of God. Sanctification is the separating of oneself unto God, thereby
separating one’s self from the world.

Sanctification is the setting apart to be made holy. Whereas holiness speaks of God,
sanctifying oneself to be made holy is ongoing ~ a continual setting apart.

Separation

There has been the desensitizing of society. All things are common ~ everywhere
you look there is no separation. Which is why the subject of sanctification is so hard to
grasp.

Where once society would be shocked by certain customs practiced, today

they are just considered normal. Now before your mind goes in a direction of the really
big shocking things, I’m speaking of the “little” things.

Little Things

For Example:

Good manners. Not being rude, or thoughtless. Considering another before ones’
self. Being thankful. At one time these elements of society were considered the
standard. Common courtesy was the guideline of a civilized society.

Not today ~ today everyone has rights to do, to say, or to act, anyway they want
without thought of the consequences and I’m not just talking about the “world” but
Christendom.

Society as a whole is so self-centered and the church has become so

complacent and worldly, that sometimes to distinguish the difference between the two is
nearly impossible.

And the evidence of the truth of this statement, besides the fact that seldom does
one hear messages on the topic of sanctification, is the lack of discernment concerning
holiness that is displayed within the church.

Christendom equates holiness with the actions of behavior ~ deeds, duties or

activities performed, and not sanctification of the personal being unto God.
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Sanctification has to do with the inner man. The scriptures say as a man thinks
in his heart so is he (Prov. 23:7). Sanctification has to do with the engaging of the mind
in the thinking of God’s thoughts after Him. Thus, making God the topic of the
separation and not man.

If the mind ~ the thinking; and the will ~ the choosing; and the emotions ~ the
feelings, of the soul of spirit being are set apart unto God ~ sanctified, the actions of the
conduct of behavior will be holy.

As we have been learning, order is everything. We think there must first be the
separation from the world which will result in a separating of ourselves unto God ~ in
reality it is the other way around.

There is no separation from the world and the lust thereof without first turning to
God (1 Thessalonians 1:9; 2 Cor. 6:17). Without the sanctifying of ourselves unto God,
there is no transformation of the person.

Hence the exhortation of the LORD God to Joshua is that the book of the law not
depart out of his mouth, but rather that he should meditate day and night.

If one is going to feed his mind, his most precious commodity, with worldly things
and minding himself or if one is going to feed his mind on good works and not wake up
to his righteousness, the end of all that minding will lead to a very poor quality of life
because there will be no eternal profit.

There will be loss to the son of God and loss to His LORD. Contrary to what is
imagined ~ what is done in this body ~ made in the image of God ~ has an impact on
the LORD God.

Sanctify Yourselves

What does the sanctifying of themselves ~ the setting of themselves apart to be

made holy, as the word means, have to do with following the Ark? Everything!

Conquering requires sanctification. If there is no sanctifying of themselves, Israel

will be all speed, no direction and no power for victory.

Their “going forward” ~ not only in terms of the conquering the land but in the
conquering of life in general is on the basis of the sanctifying of themselves. Holiness is
key. No separation ~ no power ~ no victory ~ no heart satisfaction!

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For Example:

First Generation Israel

The LORD God had set that first-generation of Israel apart as His people. He
sanctified them to Himself. “Let my people go”, He had said to Pharaoh.

He had delivered them from the bondage of Egypt, redeemed them through the
Red sea and had given them the law, by which is the knowledge of sin.

Following the Glory cloud, He was their protection and provision for their daily
sustenance, but His people did not set themselves apart to Him.

They were content enough to have the LORD God be their protection and
provision. Not that they didn’t murmur and complain ~ a lot, but they had no desire for
personal sanctification.

The people never really had any thought of God or for God or of His holiness.
It was good enough that He had set them apart. They had His protection and provision
and someday they would get to the land promised ~ so they thought.

Second Generation Israel

The second generation of Israel also had their own heart exposed before
crossing the Jordan. They found out that the heart is the heart.

Within the pictorial of this second generation of Israel under Joshua ~ is the
figure all things have become new. It is understood that the sanctifying of themselves is
much more than just “following.” If it were a matter of just following then why sanctify?

Sanctification carries with it the idea of intimacy. Again, due to the desensitizing
of society there is no intimacy. The very thing our souls crave is intimacy. But what is
intimacy?

Intimacy:

Terms equated with intimacy are closeness, togetherness, affinity, rapport,

attachment, familiarity, friendliness, friendship, amity, affection, warmth, and confidence.
The most common act of intimacy is the intimate act between husband and wife.

It is the detailed knowledge or deep understanding of something personal and

private. Intimacy has the idea of sacred. There is a personal cost involved with intimacy
~ a disowning of the love of one’s self. Sanctification is personal and there is cost
involved.

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Sanctification requires a denying ~ a disowning of the love of one’s self for

holiness ~ that’s intimacy. Sanctification unto God involves a relationship with God,
minding what matters to Him as their first priority, therefore, God has the priority of
importance.

Sanctification is about God and is for the purpose of holiness and for the glory of
God. Therefore, God cannot override man’s freedom of choice. God cannot make a
man sanctify himself. God cannot make a man be intimate with Him. He cannot do that.

We need to really lay a hold of the understanding that without the sanctifying, the
“relationship” is all one sided, as is clearly seen with the first generation. Without
sanctification there is no fellowship.

This new generation of Israel has the precious opportunity to become intimate
with the LORD their God. They have bought the truth that they are totally dependent ~
totally reliant upon the “leading” of the Ark.

But more than that, Israel understood that apart from holiness ~ the sanctifying of
themselves unto God, minding what matters to Him as their first priority, there will be no
power of authority for conquering the land and in their living. There will be no heart
satisfaction ~ which is loss for God.

With Israel’s hearts personally prepared thru the sanctifying of themselves, they
are able to participate in the wonders that the LORD would do among them.

Wonderous Things

This begs the question, did the first-generation Israel experience the wonders of
the LORD? Yes, they did. Did it mean anything to them in terms of a personal
relationship, as to minding what matters to the LORD God as their first priority? No, it
did not. It was just an experience of wonder ~ an event gone through, but Egypt was still
in their hearts. So, the wonder of the holiness of God and His glory was of no value.

We will see later with this second-generation Israel, there can be the outward
appearance of sanctification, but the LORD God is the heart knower and will expose the
deceit of the pretender who is the leader of the opposition (Joshua 7).

The pretender is a detriment ~ a disadvantage not only to the household of Israel

to whom he is a member, but to his own household as well, whether he thinks of himself
in that manner or not. Self-centeredness is always a detriment ~ to the pretender, as
well as those associated with him.

Do you see the seriousness of the call of sanctifying? Do you see that the call to
sanctification is twofold? The call is made to the sons of Israel as a collective, they are
one household. Nonetheless the sanctifying itself, is individual.
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The Wonderous Love of God

If God cannot make one sanctify himself. What power does? What makes one
willing to sanctify, to set himself apart?

What power makes one willing to dedicate one’s self to be made holy by
withdrawing from someone or something profane? What power makes one willing to “be
ye holy as I am holy” (1Peter 1:13-16)?

What power makes one willing to lay down his life to the seen and felt, the
temporary, common, and ordinary things of this world? What power can cause a man to
gird up the loins of his mind, and act in accordance to the life of righteousness that he
has been given? What power is there that can cause a man to do that?

Love

Now abide these three ~ faith, hope and love; but the greatest of these is love ~
because, love is voluntary. Sanctification is the voluntary offering of love. That is what
makes sanctification so precious!

It is not a question of God’s love for His people, it is the question of the people’s
love for their God. Whom do they love? The One who has sanctified them and called
them by His name? Or themselves?

Israel has their faith and hope in the LORD their God, but it is their love for the
LORD that makes them willing to sanctify themselves. Consequently, this 2nd generation
Israel is ready to make a departure of the former things ~ they are willing to sanctify
themselves unto God and they are willing to wait to see the leading of the Ark and follow
after it.

First Command to the Priests

Joshua 3:6:

“And Joshua spake unto the priests, saying, take up the Ark of the Covenant, and
pass over before the people. And they took up the Ark of the Covenant, and went before
the people.”

Joshua has given the first of the two commands to the priests. Take up the Ark
and pass over before the people. Can’t you just see it in your mind’s eye, all the
preparation that has been made to cross over?

The Ark has been lifted upon the priest’s shoulders ~ figurately speaking of the
bearing of the glory of God as high and lifted up and the Ark has just passed before you.

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“You shall remove from your place and you go after it” ~ heart and soul. You
have set yourself apart unto the God of Holiness. You have purposed to dedicate
yourself to be made holy.

You have made a departure of the former things ~ you will feed your mind ~ your
most precious commodity, on the eternal. Thus prepared, you will magnify and exalt the
LORD for His wonders preformed.

The Second Command to the Priests

Joshua 3:8:

“And thou shalt command the priests that bear the Ark of the Covenant, saying,
when ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.”

The brink of the water is the edge of it. When you reach the brink stand still. The
Hebrew word used is a noun meaning an end, an extremity, a border or edge.
Figuratively it refers to the conclusion of a period of time.

It is interesting that sandwiched between the two commands given to the priests
is the precious, personal promise ~ for Joshua only, much like the verses 7-11 of
chapter 1 had been.

Joshua Magnified

Joshua 3:7:

“And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day will I begin to magnify thee in the
sight of all Israel that they may know that, as I was with Moses, I will be with thee.”

The word magnify has the meaning to become great, make great, grow up and
promote. I cannot imagine, upon hearing this from the LORD that Joshua went about
shouting “Now you’ll all know that the LORD is with me just like He was with Moses.” Do
you know why? Because Joshua had experience with holiness, he understood
sanctification with its intimacy. Joshua had no need to self-promote because he
understood the intimacy of sanctification.

So how do we know what the LORD said to Joshua? Because it is written down.
The scripture does not say that Joshua announced to the people what the LORD had
shared with him. The promise is written down as a memorial of Love’s esteeming of His
servant.

Humanity can barely acknowledge a job well done and yet the LORD God has
Joshua record His esteeming of him as a memorial. I find that amazing! Having said

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that, I’m sure it was with humble adoration that Joshua was filled with gratitude and
praise that the LORD God would so honor him in such a manner.

It is one thing for Moses to transfer his leadership to Joshua under the command
of the LORD. There could always be the naysayers complaining that they didn’t have
the LORD’S word on it, only Moses’.

And quite another thing for the LORD to magnify Joshua in the sight of all Israel ~
“that they may know, as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee.” The magnification of
Joshua by the LORD would be the “seal” on the deal so to speak.

To have this distinction would cause one to fall on his face before the LORD ~ if
not literally, then in attitude of heart, worshipping.

1st Peter 5:6,7 reads “Humble yourself therefore under the mighty hand of God,
that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.”

Peter’s exhortation although written much later than in Joshua’s day, was
nonetheless Joshua’s experience for the next several years, as Israel goes forward to
victory!

He will become great, grow up and be made great in his obedience to the LORD.
Thus, Israel will know that Joshua is the LORD God’s man and that the LORD God is
with him.

As mentioned, the personal promise of the LORD is sandwiched between the two
commands. After the priests had headed out bearing the Ark and before they were at
the brink of the water, the LORD gave His promise to Joshua.

Thus, when the priests came to the brink of the Jordan, Joshua gave the
command to stand still. With the promise of the LORD in his hearing, Joshua calls the
children of Israel to come and hear the words of the LORD their God for them ~ before
they cross. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).

Hear the Words of the LORD your God

Joshua 3:9-10:

“And Joshua said unto the children of Israel, Come hither and hear the words of
the LORD your God. And Joshua said, Hereby ye shall know that the living God is
among you and He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, and the
Hittites, and the Hivites, and the Perizzites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and
the Jebusites.”

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Here is Israel’s opportunity to magnify the LORD. Here is their opportunity to

become great and grow up. They have come to the conclusion of the period of their time
wandering around in the wilderness.

Two things are made abundantly clear ~ you shall know the living God is among
you and He shall without fail drive out before you the “ite” nations.

The knowing and the driving out begins with the hearing. The word “hear”
expresses a variety of meanings ~ “obey, listen, to be regarded, to understand.” Israel is
to hear in that method ~ not in one ear and out the other. This kind of “hearing” involves
action ~ the mind is engaged and listening intently to obey. Israel is to listen intently to
the words of the LORD.

The words of the LORD are the command of royal decree of Divine
communication. The One speaking is ~ I AM that I AM! Expressing the uncreated,
preexistent and self-existent God. The One True God.

Israel’s obedience to the royal decree is in connection to the setting up of the

Kingdom of God on earth. Israel is going into the land to conquer nations who have
“worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator”… (Romans 1:25b)

Those nations “professing themselves wise, they became fools, and changed the
glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, and birds and
four-footed beasts and creeping things” (Romans1:22-23).

Due to the enormity of the depravity of the iniquity of the “ites” the extermination
as nations was necessary. This is a battle against all “ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men who hold down the Truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18b).

There is no way for Israel to conquer in the war without the living God being
among them, and His power, the driving force of authority.

This they shall know ~ learn, perceive, discern, and experience to confess. They
shall know ~ relationally, that the Living God ~ not an idol made with man’s hands ~ but
the Living Rational Uncreated Preexistent Self-Existent God ~ the Mighty One ~ the
Hero, is among them.

As of that moment, Israel had not experienced the LORD in that manner, but they
are on the brink of it. Nor would they have ~ had they first not sanctified themselves.
Sanctification is the true demonstration of fellowship.

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The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord

Joshua 3:11:

“Behold, the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord of all the earth passeth over before
you into Jordan.”

The first thing to notice in this verse is that the name Lord ~ capital “L” lower case
“ord” is not the name Jehovah ~ Yahweh, “I AM.” The name used here is not associated
with the One who is the self-existent One. The name Lord used here, is Adonai ~ God is
the Master.

Thus, Israel is to “Behold” ~ the Ark of the Covenant of the Master of all the earth is
passing before them into Jordan. No single word in English adequately conveys the
shade of meaning this word “behold” communicates, which might be defined as simply
“Pay Attention”!

This Ark ~ of God ~ “come down to the earth” figuratively expresses not only the
uniting of the realms of heaven and earth but articulates the Authority of the rule in the
kingdom of God on the earth.

He is the Master of all. He is King of Kings and LORD of LORDS. We are going to
conclude this lesson the same way we started it ~ “Holy, Holy, Holy LORD GOD
Almighty, which was and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8).

This concludes the lesson. We will leave with the Ark passing over into the Jordan.

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